Greetings,

I'm having a problem with a GT door. The small metal bit that braces the lock inside the door has bent, and now the lock moves around inside the door. I've attached a photo because it is the strangest part and I have no idea what it's called (the black bit in the foreground):



It appears these door locks were also used in Austin Spridgets, from what I could tell, but short of buying a complete kit of new locks (the boot handle won't match the Aussie boot handle), I don't know what to do. Any suggestions? It's just the clip itself, the lock mechanism works fine otherwise. Supplies are a bit thin on the ground in NZ, so if anyone has any bright ideas, I'd be eternally grateful.

PM Sent

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Cheers
Alec
1275LS - July 78 - XNFAD18Y/102918

I just had a thought. Even the new one I got doesn't do the job.

I'm going to try getting a piece of tubing with an ID similar to the lock body (eg around 19mm), cutting a piece 16mm long or so, slitting one side, and then using a pipe clamp to lock it to the body.

Eg feed the lock through the door and pipe, put the clamp on and press the lock home while doing up the clamp. This should be more reliable than the spring clip provided the clamp doesn't come undone. It will be hidden in the door so no one will be any the wiser.

Aside from keeping the pressure on while doing it up, the only trick really is the arm on the back of the lock but that shouldn't be too big a deal. You could have a gap in the pipe rather than just a slit to accomodate it and it is unlikely to affect the lock.

Simple too...

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Cheers
Alec
1275LS - July 78 - XNFAD18Y/102918

(Photos to follow)

This is a draft version. I have yet to trial it..

Get some 22mm diameter copper pipe (or similar with an ID around 19mm) and cut a length 16mm long.

Cut a slot in the pipe 8mm wide.

Remove the barrel from the door.

Put the barrel back in the door with an insertion rubber washer on the inside of the door and the copper pipe over the lock barrel

Install a hose clamp over the barrel/copper pipe.
Apply pressure to the lock barrel to firm it up in the door.
Do up the hose clamp tightly

Check operation of lock.

Stand back and admire handiwork

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Cheers
Alec
1275LS - July 78 - XNFAD18Y/102918

Thanks LS, I might have to give it a go. A friend's brother works at an engineering place nearby and he's done some machining of brake booster parts in the past, so I might get him to have a crack at making a few clips for me.

I also had a look on Ebay - doesn't seem any of the locks on there come with the clip

If you buy the lock he sells the clip for an extra $10

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Cheers
Alec
1275LS - July 78 - XNFAD18Y/102918

I have threaded the lock barrels and put a nut on it (18mm ?) I had to make the nut (not difficult) and was very fiddley to install in to the door, but it's solid as now.

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If originality is not an issue (eg for a common Clubby), I'm told early Laser/Mazda 323 lock barrels can be fitted- not sure of part nos. These are supposedly more durable.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Unfortunately these doors have to be kept as close to original as possible. We'll try kidnapping a clip from one of the spare doors we have lying around somewhere.

Do you have the rubber "gasket" under the lock?
If not it will make it tighter.
I found a rubber at the local hardware store under the taps a loo section. Cut the center out and it was ideal. Very similar to original.
To fit the lock, I removed the little lever and pushed the lock with clip in place in from the outside - easy as compared to fitting that clip from the inside.
If it is still loose, you could glue a piece of sheet metal on the inside with the right diameter hole. I did this on one door that did not have the flat on the hole.

Does MiniKing sell these clips?

The original (or at least reproduction) gasket is available, I got a couple from Ken (Mini Automotive) a while back.

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1964 998cc Cooper
1971 Mini K x 2
1972 Clubman GT

Good news; spare door has the clip we're looking for. Does anyone have any advice on removing the lock mechanism without mangling the clip? The options seem to be either push the clip hard up against the lock barrel and sliding it through the outside of the door, or removing the clip from the inside.

In theory, you're supposted to be able to retract the clips and pull the lock out with the clip in place.

Yeah, right

I have found that I've always had to take the clip off. I usually open it just enough to slide it off the back.

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All sorted. So we get to rigging up the recessed interior door handle, and it's broken.

Anyone know anybody willing to party with a black/chrome interior GT door handle?